Therapy dog offers comfort, brings calm for family and patients at the Center for Hospice

Therapy dog offers comfort, brings calm for family and patients at the Center for Hospice 
wn.com, South Bend Tribune, South Bend, IN; 6/8/25 
Teddy brings comfort and smiles at the Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka. His full name is Theodore H. Bode. However, he answers to the shorter version of the name. He bounds down a hallway and stops to greet a nurse or a family member. Those big brown eyes will win you over immediately. In the hospice rooms in the Ernestine M. Raclin House, the dog knows to follow commands and not run in recklessly. Teddy is a mini Australian Labradoodle and he has been the hospice therapy dog for about 18 months. He is two years old and has been on staff for slightly more than a year.
Editor's note: When looking for pet therapy volunteers, ensure that the dog has been certified through a reputable organization. Their certification process needs to include training, evaluation of both the pet and the handler/owner, proof of current vaccinations, proof of insurance (carried by the certifying organization), and ongoing requirements for maintaining the pet's viability. For example, examine www.kywags.org (serving healthcare, schools, and other community needs in the Louisville, KY region).